Fall Farro Salad with Butternut Squash
Dive into the cozy fall season with this fall farro salad that is a flavorful lunch or side dish for the holidays. The chewy farro with caramelized butternut squash marry perfectly with crumbly feta, sweet cranberries, and crunchy nuts.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Fall might have some of the best recipes of all time, right? Cozy recipes with spices and pumpkin…it just makes you feel good!
This hearty autumn salad is the perfect side dish or lunch for this time of year! It uses seasonal ingredients and can be served as a fall salad anytime.
This is great for the Thanksgiving table too!
Speaking of cozy fall meals…you will also love my Miso Dumpling Soup, Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry, or Carrot Tomato Soup that will warm you up this fall.
🗒Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Farro: You can find this near this other grains. It’s chewy and hearty and makes for a delicious fall salad.
- Butternut squash: Make sure to cut into smaller cubes (1/2 inch wide). To save time use a pre-cut butternut squash from the grocery store. If you have some extra squash, consider trying out these Crispy Butternut Squash Baked Tacos!
Flavorful Additions
- Dried cranberries: If you want a healthier option for dried cranberries, use a no-sugar added version.
- Toasted nuts: You can choose whichever is your favorite such as crunchy walnuts, pecans, almonds, or my personal fave, pumpkin seeds.
- Feta cheese: If you are vegan choose a dairy-free option. This adds extra flavor to the salad.
- Fresh parsley: This adds a vibrant green to the salad with some fresh flavor.
*Did you know you can make your own dehydrated cranberries for this recipe?
Dressing
- Olive oil: I recommend a high quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a bit of sweetness and sour that pairs well with the olive iol .
- Maple syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
- Dijon mustard: This helps balance out the sweet and savory elements with a little sour tanginess.
- Salt and black pepper
🔄Recipe Swaps
If you don’t have an ingredient or need a substitution, don’t worry!
- Instead of butternut squash you could use acorn squash or delicata squash (cooking time may vary)
- Add in other root vegetables such as sweet potatoes or carrot
- Get in those greens by adding fresh arugula or spinach
- Add in more crunch with some finely diced red onion or pine nuts
- Try out different fruit like pomegranate seeds or blueberries.
Love squash? Try out this cozy Acorn Squash Curry, Stuffed Spaghetti Squash or Autumn Harvest Grain Salad with butternut squash!!
How to Make Farro Salad
Step 1: Rinse the farro under cold water. Cook farro over the stove to package instructions or until the farro is tender but still slightly chewy. Drain any excess water and set aside.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked farro, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, chopped toasted nuts, and crumbled feta cheese. Add the chopped fresh parsley.
Step 5: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Step 6: Transfer the farro salad to a serving platter/bowl or individual plates. You can garnish with additional fresh herbs, nuts, and cranberries if desired.
▶︎Got some extra dried cranberries? Try out these delicious dried cranberry recipes including salads, stuffed squash, and more!
❓Recipe FAQs
No, farro is not gluten-free. Farro is a type of ancient wheat grain and contains gluten, which is a protein found in wheat and related grains like barley and rye.
You can substitute farro with brown rice or quinoa.
I recommend cutting them about 1/2 inch wide. They will cook faster and it is the perfect size to match the other ingredients in the salad.
Store in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Have some leftover butternut squash? Try these garlic herb squash fries with a delicious aioli for dipping!
Pro Tips
- Cooking time for your butternut squash may vary based on the size of your cubes. I recommend cutting into 1/2 inch cubes because they will cook faster.
- To save more time with this recipe, you can buy precut butternut squash in the refrigerator section of the grocery store.
- You can add in any other types of fruits or veggies you enjoy in this recipe. You can substitute cranberries for pomegranates for another fall flavor that tastes great with the butternut squash.
- You can choose any roasted nut you like- my personal fave is pumpkin seeds.
More Fall Recipes
Cozy up with one of these delicious recipes
Fall Farro Salad with Butternut Squash
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro uncooked
- 2 cups butternut squash* peeled, seeded, and cubed
- drizzle of olive oil optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese dairy-free if vegan
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or sage
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Farro: Rinse the farro under cold water. Cook farro over the stove to package instructions or until the farro is tender but still slightly chewy. Drain any excess water and set aside. Time Saver Tip: While the farro is cooking, begin to roast the butternut squash and prep the other ingredients.1 cup farro
- Roast Butternut Squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.2 cups butternut squash*, drizzle of olive oil, Salt and pepper
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or sage, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, Salt and pepper
- Assemble Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked farro, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, chopped toasted nuts, and crumbled feta cheese. Add the chopped fresh parsley.1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Dress the Salad: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all the ingredients evenly.
- Transfer the farro salad to a serving platter or individual plates. You can garnish with additional fresh herbs, nuts, and cranberries if desired.
- This farro salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Save time by using pre-cut butternut squash from the fridge section of your grocery store.
- Buy no-sugar added dried cranberries for a healthier alternative, or consider pomegranate seeds, apples, or blueberries for another great flavor.
- You can choose any roasted nut you like- my personal fave is pumpkin seeds.
- Enjoy this salad either cold, room temp, or warm. I tastes amazing no matter the temp.
Farro is so undervalued! This recipe is incredible. I can’t wait to make it again! Even the kids loved it!
Yum! This salad is so flavorful and satisfying. The chewy farro and butternut squash are just the right combination of textures and flavors.
This fall farro salad was amazing, I couldn’t help but have it for lunch two days in a row. I made it extra fall-y with toasted pumpkin seeds and crispy sliced apples.
I’ve been searching for healthy salads lately, and luckily, I came across your recipe. This salad was so delicious and flavorful. I love how the ingredients complement each other well, plus my family loved it too! This is a must-try!
I’ve been really into alternative grains recently and I stumbled across this farro recipe. Wow, so good! I love the mix of sweet and savory flavors. Great as a side or main dish!
The chewy farro paired up with caramelized butternut squash? Match made in heaven! Then there’s the crumbly feta, sweet cranberries, it’s like a flavor explosion in every bite. Lunch or side dish, this salad’s ready for any holiday feast.
So happy you enjoyed it Joana!
Was looking for a light but filling recipe for dinner and this fit the bill. I love farro and paired with the butternut squash, cranberries and cheese it was really delicious. This was plenty filling as a main dish, although next time I may pair with a roast chicken. Yum!
Thanks for your review Sarah! Happy you enjoyed it 🙂